By:  Keel, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Hinojosa)                     H.B. No. 616
	(In the Senate - Received from the House April 2, 2003; 
April 7, 2003, read first time and referred to Committee on 
Criminal Justice; May 21, 2003, reported favorably by the 
following vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 21, 2003, sent to printer.)


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT


relating to the punishment for the offense of terroristic threat.           
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 22.07, Penal Code, is amended by 
amending Subsection (b) and by adding Subsection (c) to read as 
follows:
	(b)  An offense under Subdivision (1) or (2) of Subsection 
(a) is a Class B misdemeanor.  An offense under Subdivision (3) of 
Subsection (a) is a Class A misdemeanor, unless the actor causes 
pecuniary loss of $1,500 or more to the owner of the building, room, 
place, or conveyance, in which event the offense is a state jail 
felony.  An offense under Subdivision (4) of Subsection (a) is a 
felony of the third degree.
	(c)  The amount of pecuniary loss under Subsection (b) is the 
amount of economic loss suffered by the owner of the building, room, 
place, or conveyance as a result of the prevention or interruption 
of the occupation or use of the building, room, place, or 
conveyance.
	SECTION 2.  (a)  The change in law made by this Act applies 
only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this 
Act.  For purposes of this section, an offense is committed before 
the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurs 
before the effective date.
	(b)  An offense committed before the effective date of this 
Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, 
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.                           



* * * * *